Thursday November 27, 2008
Until I typed in the date and thought about it for moment, it hadn’t quite sunk in that today was Thanksgiving. I knew it was coming but we decided a few weeks ago not to celebrate in the traditional manner. We will wrap it into Christmas, bake a turkey and have friends (expats and others) and family over for dinner.
There’s a good deal to be thankful for; first and foremost is HH, he’s growing bigger and wiser right before my eyes. Yesterday I told him he needed to wear his rain boots because the sky looked threatening and it was a bit colder than normal. He wanted to wear his new tennis shoes and we started going back and forth. Then he said, “Hey Papa – it’s not the end of the world.” I had to yield - he was right and it didn’t rain and it did warm up and there are bigger things in the world to get steamed up about.
We also have a smart, capable President-elect about to take office, that’s a big item in the “things to be thankful for” column. Yes, the world economy is swirling around the toilet bowl, there is fighting all over the globe and uncertainty is the reigning emotion of the day, but the roof doesn’t leak, the sun still rises and here in Cologne the Christmas market has just opened.
HH (who pays sharp attention to these matters) will no doubt remind me of that fact as we round the corner on our way home from kindergarten and he catches a glimpse of the two-story Santa Claus that was recently towed back to its traditional spot on the Rudolfplatz. This is the stuff of life that keeps me grounded and grateful – that and the Glühwein!
Happy Thanksgiving!
There’s a good deal to be thankful for; first and foremost is HH, he’s growing bigger and wiser right before my eyes. Yesterday I told him he needed to wear his rain boots because the sky looked threatening and it was a bit colder than normal. He wanted to wear his new tennis shoes and we started going back and forth. Then he said, “Hey Papa – it’s not the end of the world.” I had to yield - he was right and it didn’t rain and it did warm up and there are bigger things in the world to get steamed up about.
We also have a smart, capable President-elect about to take office, that’s a big item in the “things to be thankful for” column. Yes, the world economy is swirling around the toilet bowl, there is fighting all over the globe and uncertainty is the reigning emotion of the day, but the roof doesn’t leak, the sun still rises and here in Cologne the Christmas market has just opened.
HH (who pays sharp attention to these matters) will no doubt remind me of that fact as we round the corner on our way home from kindergarten and he catches a glimpse of the two-story Santa Claus that was recently towed back to its traditional spot on the Rudolfplatz. This is the stuff of life that keeps me grounded and grateful – that and the Glühwein!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Labels: Thanksgiving
posted by Berlinbound at 4:26 AM
1 Comments:
I usually meet with fellow expats this time of year for turkey and trimmings, but this time we'll have to wait for Christmas.
It is my favorite holiday. The (commercial) Grinch has definitely stolen Christmas. And Halloween, too.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. You're right, we do have things to be thankful for.
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